OK, so yes, we're moved, and we're on our second week of school.  More on that later.

Right now, what's really "bothering" me, is the amount of dust and dirt accumulating in my new house.  I've never had a place with hardwood floors before, so I'm wondering if that is a contributing factor.  Those of you that have had both, perhaps you can give some wise counsel.  I need to dust thet op of my computer and monitor daily -- it accumulates that fast.  The floor could be swept easily several times a day.  I know having a medium-haired dog does not help.  But . . . I need some input.

We want to get some area rugs for the center of the living room and for the center of the dining room.  But that probably won't happen for a bit, until we get out of this little ditch we're in due to DH's lack of work over the summer.  Can't manage to carpet any time in the forseeable future.  So, how do I get control of all this dust?! 

Blessings,

Barb

Our plans to go blueberry picking were likely divinely intercepted.  All along, I wasn't really sure we should spend the money for berries and for gas to get there.  Turns out it was steadily raining when we woke.  We were dressed, packed up and ready to head out the door when one of the other families going called and said they weren't going.  Maybe if the weather broke, they'd go in the afternoon.  We were still determined to go as I had checked the weather online and worse storms, high winds and hail were predicted for the afternoon.  We figured we'd better get it done sooner rather than later.  DH grabbed the rain jackets and we were ready.  However, on an "impulse," I called the orchard and they said the weather was bad already, thunder and lightening, and they wouldn't let us pick.  So we got in the car, stopped at Home Depot, and went to our soon-to-be home.  DH continued to tear out the pantry shelves.  I pulled a few weeds and primed the bedroom closet.  DH went shopping with his brother to get some bakers racks, and I later went out with him to look at paint.  We brought back samples and DH approved the color scheme and wallpaper border for the living room and dining room.

We missed our discipleship class Sunday because DH had a headache and the church had a pretty serious congregational meeting about hiring an associate minister.

And VBS started yesterday, so we are very busy.  I shop on a daily basis (sometimes multiple trips) for DH's supplies/groceries.  Last night he served turkey tettrazini and baked mostaccioli, salad, garlic bread and jello cake.  Tonight he's making beef ribs, BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw, and chocolate cake or brownies for dessert.  We just got back from my mom's -- she asked me to be there when the cable guy came (thought he couldn't hook it up and will have to reschedule).  I took a few school assignments for the kids, but we weren't there long and didn't get as much done as I'd hoped.  We shopped (DH didn't work today, so he was with us) and got McD's for lunch, and now he is starting to fix dinner for the VBS crew.  I'm so grateful that the church found someone to help with the janitorial duties this week, as it was just too much last year for him to work all day and then cook dinner for the staff and still have to make the building presentable for the next night's program. 

I'm going to fold a load of laundry and do a few dishes in a moment, and then 6yodd and I go to violin at 3:45.  Perhaps I can sneak in a short "zzzz" before we go, but I want to be a good helpmeet and be available to DH if he needs anything.

Life is crazy right now, but I'm really striving to focus more on his needs than my own needs, and especially my wants.  I'm struggling to keep quiet instead of making suggestions about things that I think he should consider, and letting him rely on God's leading and letting him lead.  My guy does value my input, but I think I can have too much influence on him.  This is hard for me.  I'm reading that it's wrong and disrepectful and proud of me to think I know better, that I have the answers, that God is speaking to me.  By doing this, I am not letting him lead, and I'm not honoring and respecting and revering his role.  Oooo this is hard.  But I'm trying.  Please pray for me.

Blessings,

Barb

I'm ashamed to admit that I can't remember when the last time was DH and I slept in our bed.  It had been occupied by "the laundry monster" for far too long.  Not having a laundry room (or anything resembling it -- our apartment style [washer on bottom, dryer on top] machine sits in our kitchen),  the monster does not have a lot of choices where he is going to reside.  It's either the dining room table, one of the couches, or our bed.  I relegated him to the bed.  Perhaps it was an "out of sight, out of mind" decision, as I could more easily close the door and ignore him.

DH is wonderful.  He never complains.  Since our kids prefer to camp out on the living room floor than in their own rooms (I know - don't gasp! - they love the togetherness), and since our bed is not the "sleep number" I need and often gives me back aches whereas the couch seems to be my perfect "sleep number", we often all end up in the living room together.  (Don't worry, there are other places husband and wife can be alone! :-)  Oh, sorry, too much information!)

However, I've been pouring over "Created to Be His Helpmeet."  The chapter I just finished had me list, among other things, three things I could do to make home a haven for my husband.  I decided one of them was to banish the laundry monster and commit to never letting him take up occupancy in our room again.  This means, of course, he may take up occupancy elsewhere.  I can set out to always have the laundry folded and put away, and believe me, I'm going to try -- again.  But there will come times when it's all I can do to manage to get it washed and dryed.  With God as my help, I will do a better job at this.  Debi Perl reminded me that my husband was not created to be my helper, but I was created to be his, and he shouldn't have to worry about the laundry.  (Though this wonderful man often does help and never complains about my inability to keep up with it all.  Another thing in my list was to brag on him, so I'm doing that now!)

He was so surprised when he cames in from grilling (having just returned from the vet with the dog) to see the bed freshly made!

I'll say more about DH and being his helpmeet later, but for now, let me whole-heartedly encourage you, if you haven't read this wonderful took, to do so.

Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious (affiliate link)

 Blessings,

Barb

So I'd given up for a while, but I'm at it again.  See, it's been a year since I bought my grain mill, and I haven't used it once.  And I'm still not using it today.  I still have to figure out this bread thing.  So I'm trying a honey wheat bread in my bread maker now.  I have not had luck with whole wheat breads in my bread machine.  But today I'm making another attempt with a recipe I haven't tried before.  I really don't want to knead by hand, so I'm trying to do the best I can with what I have.  My husband suggested kneading paddles for our mixer, but I can't find the mixer attachment.  It's one of those big Osters that we got for our wedding, and rarely gets used.  I have the grating attachment, but can't seem to locate the other part.  Though I have the kneading paddles.  Go figure.  In the meantime, I'm still trying to do this with the bread machine.  We'll see how it turns out.

Once I can manage a few recipes in the bread machine, I'll start to slowly diversity (! ha !) and try some other grains.  I have Sue Gregg's cookbooks, and did try a coffee cake with whole wheat pastry flour, but it didn't turn out -- partly because DH forgot about it and left it in the oven too long.  And I haven't made a second attempt.  Again, I'm not quite ready to tackle her yeast bread recipes without a kneader to knead them for me.  Lazy, I know.

We'll see how this turns out.

***update***

So, I'm really pleased.  The loaf of Honey Wheat is very tasty.  I'm thrilled!  Though it's not whole grain, it does have  some whole wheat flour and some wheat germ.  I left out the walnuts as I knew the kids would not eat it if I put them in.  I think this bread will be a mainstay!   I'll try Molasses Oat bread next, but I need to get dark brown sugar.

Blessings,

Barb

I'd forgotten how good this stuff was.  Haven't made it in a while.  Decided I probably needed to stop eating Pop Tarts for breakfast and get back to bran flakes, which taste like twigs.  But the granola on top makes it surprisingly tasty.  I know.  I'm weird.  I eat my cereal dry.  Just don't like it soggy.  And I don't eat yogurt, but I guess it would be good on top of that, especially vanilla or plain as it has cinnamon and vanilla in it.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Mix 1/3 cup each of brown sugar, oil and honey and bring to a low boil in microwave or on stove.  Add 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 2 tsp. of vanilla.  Add 1 c. chopped pecans (I use slivered almonds!) if desires.  Pour over 7 cups of oats in a large pan (I do this step in a huge bowl as I have a horrible tendency to spill) and stir until coated.  Bake at 375 to 10 minutes.  Take it out and stir.  TURN THE OVEN OFF!  Put the pan back in the oven and let remain in the oven until cool.  (Works great to make at night before going to bed and makes the house smell wonderful!)  When cooled, break up and store in an airtight container or Ziploc.  Serve warm or cold with milk or mix with yogurt.  Aprox. 350 cal per 1 c. serving.

Blessings,

Barb

Just earlier this week, Crystal Paine posted a response to a question about balancing frugal shopping and eating healthy.  Here's the link:  http://www.biblicalwomanhoodonline.com/2008/01/frugal-friday-balancing-frugality-and.html.  I'm going to re-read this several times.

If you haven't already checked out her Supermarket Savings 101 course, check it out HERE.  I'm still a work in progress, but she has lots of good tips.

I have some other posts about this subject on my Homestead blog:  B & B Dreams.

Blessings,

Barb

Wow!  Has anyone noticed the huge leap in prices at Aldi!  Yikes!  As much as I'm trying to cook healthier, whole-foods type meals for my family, I fear we're close to resorting to hot dogs and mac'n'cheese! :-)

I was listening to a recent podcast by Generations/Kevin Swanson, talking about the economy and the possibility that we could be headed for a depression worse than the one in 1929.  While I don't want to be an "alarmist," I am convinced that it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.  As Christians, we need to be prepared to minister to each other when things get rough.  That's overwhelming when you're "just scraping by" as it is.  But perhaps God has seen our failure to live in community as the early church did -- perhaps He has seen our materialism and selfishness and self-centeredness -- as will use these times to teach us to live in community.

What kinds of things can I do now to prepare for difficult times that will not only enable me to be able to provide for my family, but at the same time enable me to meet the needs of others?  Living in a big city does not allow for me to raise animals or grow many crops (though we usually have a small garden).  So, something to think about.  Perhaps we can share ideas.

Blessings,

Barb